International Women’s Day 2026 at Railpen: Giving to Gain

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a moment to celebrate progress, recognise the women and allies who make a difference every day, and reflect honestly on what more there is to do. This year’s theme, ‘Give to Gain’ is about how small, intentional actions – time, belief, listening, sponsorship – can create meaningful opportunities for others, and strengthen our community in return.

To mark the day in 2026, we spoke to Helen McHale and Sophie Harris, co-chairs of Railpen’s Women’s Community Group, about what IWD means to them, what inspires their leadership, and how we can all play a part.

Creating space for every voice

For Helen, IWD is both a celebration and a reminder. It’s about recognising women’s achievements while acknowledging that there is still work to be done. 'Give to Gain’, she explains, is about offering support so others can access opportunities they might not otherwise have – whether that’s confidence, visibility, or simply being heard.

Having worked at Railpen for nearly 19 years, Helen says that what inspires her most is not one individual, but a shared quality she’s seen consistently in women and allies across the organisation, a commitment to valuing every perspective and actively creating space for others’ voices.

 That belief underpins her approach to inclusion: “One of the most powerful things we can do – even when we’re busy – is to actively listen,” she says. “It’s not about fixing things or offering solutions, but really listening. That creates meaningful space for women to share their experiences.”

Building confidence through belief

Sophie shares a similar perspective on IWD as a moment to recognise progress while staying open to feedback on how we can keep improving. She credits much of her own confidence to colleagues who reinforced a simple but powerful message: every voice is valuable.

“It took time for me to truly believe that,” she reflects, “but having peers, mentors and colleagues consistently reinforce it made a huge difference.”

One leader Sophie particularly admires is Anna Rule, Director of Private Markets and Real Assets. From their first meeting during Sophie’s internship interview, Anna’s empathetic leadership, clarity in communication, and ability to build diverse, collaborative teams left a lasting impression.

Why the Women’s Community Group matters

Both Helen and Sophie were drawn to the co-chair roles because they wanted to make a practical, tangible impact.

Helen, who describes herself as a working-class, dyslexic woman, told us that this informs her passion for diversity and inclusion. For her, the Women’s Community Group is about action, creating space where everyone belongs and ensuring there truly is room for all voices.

Sophie was motivated by the opportunity to connect women and allies across the business in a meaningful way. She highlights her partnership with Helen as a perfect example – a collaboration that may not have happened without the group, but one that now sits at the heart of its work. Together, they’re focused on embedding Railpen’s value of community, creating environments where people feel safe to share, learn and uplift one another.

Looking ahead: what success looks like

Over the next 12 months, success for the Women’s Community Group means continuing to build on strong foundations. After delivering a range of impactful initiatives in 2025, the focus now is on growth, expanding the community, running regular events that resonate, and creating more informal opportunities to connect.

There’s also a strong emphasis on cross-collaboration with other community groups. As Sophie notes, women’s experiences often overlap with other communities – including pride, menopause and neurodiversity – and there’s real opportunity to strengthen awareness and collaboration across these spaces.

Giving back, in big and small ways

Both Helen and Sophie spoke about the importance of giving back, not as a grand gesture, but through everyday actions.

Helen credits the belief she gained in her own career to supportive women who reminded her that imposter syndrome is something many people experience and that it shouldn’t hold you back. Now, she consciously gives that same encouragement to others, helping them speak up, participate and assert themselves.

Sophie finds connection through giving beyond the workplace too, regularly donating to her local food bank and a cat rescue centre. For her, it’s a way to support others while also feeling more rooted in her local community – something that can be challenging in a busy city like London.

A simple call to action

When asked what one thing colleagues could do this month to support women’s progression and inclusion, Sophie offered a thoughtful suggestion: read a book written by a woman or centred on women’s lived experiences. It’s a simple way to broaden perspectives, and the Women’s Community Group has already shared recommended reads on the intranet.

As Helen and Sophie’s reflections show, ‘Give to Gain' isn’t about perfection or grand initiatives. It’s about listening, creating space, offering belief, and choosing – again and again – to lift others as we grow together.